This month’s issue of our news magazine Outlook examines efforts to preserve the nation’s rich culture - from historical sites to centuries-old art forms.

Outlook, which goes on sale in Ha Noi, HCM City and other major centres this morning, reports that ensuring effective preservation of historically important relics and art forms faces many challenges, including a lack of funds for preservation work.

We travel to Hoi An to report on the threat of urbanisation and a booming tourism sector to the city’s old quarter, while in the Central Highlands, we find that the local gong culture is in danger of being lost as a dwindling number of musicians chose to keep their traditional art alive. We also report on successes in restoring the highly refined and unique art form of nha nhac (court music), and talk to the director of the Institute for Preservation of Monuments, Le Thanh Vinh, about recent successes in heritage preservation.

Elsewhere in this issue, we visit the sleepy village of Lo Hanh, tell the story behind Nguyen Dinh Thi’s revolutionary anthem The Hanoian and meet an English singer who has been wowing local audiences with his fluent performance of Vietnamese songs.

Readers can also catch up on what’s hot in the country’s culinary, sports and arts scenes - and check out our listings for everything from bars to embassies.

Outlook retails for VND15,000 at news-stands, major hotels and restaurants, at the head office of the Viet Nam News at 11 Tran Hung Dao Street, Ha Noi, or at our HCM City office at 120 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street.